Jurassic Park 4 The New Park
by superguy
Summary: Tim and Lex are invited back to the Island for a tour of the "New" Jurassic Park, filled with animatronic dinosaurs and family-fun attractions. But, Tim has his suspicions when he sees two workmen dragging a concrete cage through the park at night...
1. Encountering Memories

Author's Note: None of these characters are mine. I love Jurassic Park movies, though I've never read the books. I want to take people back to the island like in the first film, and give them a scare. Though this rough story line I'm creating is a little complicated, I hope it's fun to read. And it may be a bit gory, if you're into velociraptors ripping your guts out.  
  
CHAPTER ONE: Encountering Memories  
  
Tim sat in the car, watching the city fly past him. He was glad that everything was working out for him and his sister. They had been going through a rough time with their grandfather and their grandfather's business, and Lex, his older sister, was finding this a little hard to cope with. What was the problem? Jurassic Park.  
Their grandfather, John Hammond had invited four years earlier, Lex and Tim, to come to a special opening of his park, Jurassic Park, which would feature rides about dinosaurs. But the one thing that they didn't expect was the Dinosaurs. Real, living, breathing dinosaurs running around in cages. So what if they were angry about being brought back to life and stored in cages? All Tim and Lex wanted to do was look at them and point, telling their friends all about how they were the first to see some real dinosaurs.  
But, there was of course one catch: the dinosaurs escaped. The cages had been shut off temporarily, and that was just enough time for the dinosaurs to escape. They attacked the jeeps that were carrying Tim and his sister Lex to see the Tyrannosaurus Rex cage. The car had been flipped, and they were almost killed. But, somebody rescued them. That man was Dr. Alan Grant.  
Dr. Grant had rescued them, using his wit and knowledge about dinosaur nature to get them safely out of the park, and then it was all over. Lex had been left with scars, though. Waking up screaming for weeks about dinosaurs. Their mother tried to comfort them, but it was no use. Tim had been scarred as well. His vision of dinosaurs was forever changed. He couldn't enjoy reading about a Velociraptor after it had tried to claw his flesh open and rip out his guts. That's just the way it was.  
And now, Tim was sitting in the car, while his sister drove. She was good, driving. But Tim couldn't help but feel a bit edgy when his sister drove in the rain. A flash lit up the sky as they stopped at a street light. Lex sighed, and looked towards her brother. Her blonde hair was ruffled and naturally curly. It had grown out over the school year, and now that summer was coming, she was thinking of getting it cut.  
"Penny for your thoughts," she said to her brother as the street light turned green.  
Tim looked over at her as she stepped on the gas and the car moved past the intersection.  
He stumbled for a moment on thoughts and then muttered, "What's going on with Grandpa's job?"  
Lex was already staring ahead at the road, but Tim could tell that she was in deep thought. She always thought before she answered a question. She answered slowly, as if trying to keep the answer simple enough for her 13-year-old brother to understand  
"Well," she started slowly. "You remember the park?"  
Tim shuddered, thinking of the man he saw get eaten after their enjoyable ride to the T-Rex cage.  
"Yeah," he said, urging her to continue.  
"Well, he needs money."  
"Doesn't he have his job still?" Tim continued. "I mean, if you still have your job, don't you still have money?"  
Lex smiled and shook her head.  
"Well, you'd think that. His job has changed since he had to abandon the park. He still has his company, but the park really put some debt over his head."  
Tim stared out the window.  
"So, what's he going to do about it?"  
Lex turned the wheel and the car turned onto a less traveled street, with many trees and tiny houses.  
"The government is giving him a deal, I suppose," she started. "They want him to rebuild the park, but do it on the empty island where there are no dinosaurs. That way, he can still have a park, but without the dinosaurs running around. Do you see?"  
Tim understood. But then.  
"Why does he need us, then?"  
Lex replied, "Well, he needs witnesses, you know? Someone who lived through the event at the park, so that he can fix whatever the people didn't like. Most of the park is already built, so I guess they want us to okay some of the blueprints or something. Something." Her voice trailed off. "Safe?"  
Tim nodded. So that's what they were going to be doing. Okaying blueprints. Well, it seemed simple enough. But he didn't even know how wrong he was. 


	2. Grandpa's New Plan

CHAPTER TWO: Grandpa's New Plan  
  
Tim got out of the car and wrapped his arms around himself to keep the icy blasts of the storm out of his jacket. His hair began to sop down as the rain soaked into it. His sister led him towards a huge brick building, probably early-1900's style. They vaulted a large stone stairway to the two large doors and entered the building.  
It was big. Even his relatively large mansion of a house couldn't compare to this. The floor was covered in a large red carpet that stretched out into five directions at the center of the room, making a star shape. Hanging above the center of the star on the ceiling was a large chandelier that sparkled in the lighting of the room. It was a very beautiful place.  
Tim followed his sister, (she had been here before, he guessed, because she seemed to know where she was going), and they started up a large, old-fashioned, polished staircase that ran up through the center of the room and branched off into two landings, then continued up until you reached the second floor.  
"This way," Lex said as they reached the second floor. The landing was magnificent. It was so beautiful, with an ornately carved railing and everything.  
They proceeded down the hallway towards a set of two oak doors with a sign hanging on one of them. When they got closer, Tim read, 'PLEASE KNOCK, meeting in cession.'  
Lex knocked, fixing her wet hair before a familiar voice came through the doors.  
"Come in!" called the voice happily.  
Tim smiled as he spotted an old, white-haired man sitting at a large table, and it was undoubtedly his grandfather.  
He raced towards his grandfather, arms wide open for a hug. "Grandpa!" he cried.  
"Tim! Lex!" his Grandfather said as Tim leaped into his arms, having not seen him for a while. Lex stood next to her Grandfather, a little too old for a leaping hug.  
Mr. Hammond looked up at her and smiled.  
"You're not going to get away from me without a hug," he said with a grin.  
She then gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.  
"Good, now I'm happy. The introductions are made, and you two can have a seat." Mr. Hammond said as Lex pulled out a chair by him and sat down, Tim doing the same.  
She noticed that they were the only people in the large room.  
"Well," Mr. Hammond began. "I suppose you want to know why I wanted to see you, though knowing your mother you already know."  
Lex nodded.  
"Tell us more about your 'plan'," she said suspiciously, remembering his plans in the past about....well, she didn't want to think about it then and there.  
"So, I have a problem," Mr. Hammond started. "My company InGen needs to re-create Jurassic Park so that I can repay them all the money I owe. So, I've been re-creating the park and need someone who went to the original park to tell me what they think." He added, with his Granddaughter's stare of shock, "Of course, there will be no dinosaurs to bother you. They're all animatronic."  
"Cool," Tim started, but Lex cut in.  
"Are you crazy? I'm never going back to that place! Never, do you hear me? Do you know what I've gone through? Dinosaurs? That wasn't the least of it. Try being almost crushed by a T-Rex who's flipped your jeep over. That's scary, Grandpa. You don't even know."  
"But, I have arranged for Dr. Grant to come along for the journey, as well as Dr. Sandler and her husband and child. But Dr. Malcolm has opted not to come. The park is out on an island again, yes. But it's not part of the original island. You see, I need this chance. Your parents say it's okay, so I'm okay with it, though it did take some pursuading. Please! You must come."  
Lex remembered the courageous Dr. Grant, whom she had liked a lot. He had rescued her many times in the Park, including the flipped jeep incident.  
"Are you going to promise that there aren't going to be any dinosaurs - real dinosaurs this time?" she asked timidly.  
Mr. Hammond nodded with a smile.  
"I'm good to go," Tim said with a smile. "No dinosaurs is good enough for me, as long as there are some good rides to go on."  
Mr. Hammond laughed.  
"You'll be leaving in a week." 


	3. The New Park

CHAPTER THREE: The New Park  
  
The helicopters with the Jurassic Park symbol on them flew over the water quickly, bumping in the air, shuddering every once in a while. Tim loved to fly. It was his fifth time already, in a helicopter that is. Flying let him escape the world and stare out at the clouds, wishing he could forget certain memories, and remember better ones. Memories about his life before the park.  
The helicopter bounced upward in the air for a second, making Lex gasp, startled out of her daydreams. Tim bet she was thinking about the park again. Returning to a place she had once loved, but then learned to fear. Tim looked at the occupants of the helicopter. With Lex and himself sat Dr. Alan Grant, a very tall man with graying brown hair and wearing a safari hat. His khaki pants went good with the hat, Tim thought to himself. It made him look even more intelligent. He was an archaeologist, and searched for the remnants of dinosaurs. He was definitely dressed as the part.  
Dr. Sandler, the blonde woman who was also very enthusiastic about dinosaur skeletons, couldn't attend the opening of the new amusement park, because of family issues, and because of her baby son who was turning five.  
  
Lex then gave a startled gasp and pointed out the window at an oncoming island.  
"There it is!" she said happily, though she did sound a little anxious.  
Tim smiled. He remembered how cool the park had been. If it hadn't been for the dinosaurs, the park would have been really awesome and a whole lot nicer. He was glad that his grandfather had decided not to add in actual dinosaurs this time.  
The helicopter shook as it touched down on the landing pad, next to a large building made of concrete and metal, obviously keeping something out, but Tim couldn't imagine what. There weren't any more dinosaurs, so what was there to fear?  
"We will be getting off and entering the jeeps," a voice came from the cockpit of the helicopter. "Remain in your seats until told to do otherwise."  
The door opened and two men helped Lex, Tim, and Dr. Grant out of the helicopter. They all leaned down as they got away from the chopper. The blades seemed dangerous.  
A man, tall and thin, greeted them, standing in front of two jeeps almost identical to the original jeeps that had almost crushed Lex and Tim earlier in the original park. The seats smelled of fresh leather, and were grey. He sat down, not buckling up his seat belt, and waited for instructions. His sister plopped down beside him. They were both in the back seat, just as they had been in the original park.  
A voice came over the radio, one that sounded very friendly.  
"Good morning and welcome to Jurassic Park. I'll be your guide for the day. If you desire assistance or have any questions, feel free to press the green button on your key pad located on the dash board. And now, let's begin."  
The car jerked forward roughly and Tim felt himself slam against the seat, as did his sister.  
"Ow," she said softly to herself.  
"Your journey into Jurassic Park has begun," the voice over the radio said as the car headed down the track towards some woods.  
"Oh!" Lex said, a smile breaking onto her face for the first time that trip.  
A giant Dinosaur, animatronic obviously, was watching them as they drove by it. It probably had a sensor that made it follow them with its eyes. Tim even smiled. This island thing wasn't such a bad thing after all. He was prepared for a scare, and he hoped that the T-Rex robot would be as scary as the real thing, maybe even scarier, though he highly doubted that it could be.  
"Welcome to Jurassic Park!" the voice said triumphantly, and they entered the darkness of the woods.  
Dr. Grant looked out the window of the car, as if noticing the change of scenery for the first time, though he had seen it before. He smiled.  
"You kids afraid?" he asked.  
Tim shook his head with a grin.  
"Well," Dr. Grant said with a grin. "I know I sure as hell am."  
He looked up at the foliage and squinted at the blinding array of green lights.  
He grunted deeply, and sat back in his seat beside Lex.  
"You are now nearing the Velociraptor cage. This sophisticated dinosaur was carnivorous and ate its prey by tearing its organs out with a large, single claw."  
Tim smiled, even though he'd almost been killed by a Velociraptor. This was getting really cool. He looked up to see a lot of weeds and then what looked like barbed wire fences all around them.  
They were entering a tunnel of foliage and cage.  
Lex gave a startled gasp as the car stopped once inside the tiny tunnel. It was considerably darker. It was getting creepy; really creepy.  
Suddenly a metal door slid shut over the opening in the tunnel behind them. Lex began to breathe harder, and Tim felt his spine tingle with excitement. They were being locked in.  
But then, it got scarier because something in the bushes was stirring.  
The leaves shook, reminding Tim of the Velociraptor that had hunted him and his sister before in the original park.  
"Timmy." Lex said, her voice trailing off in fright.  
"Look-" Tim said, pointing to the bushes beside the car, pressed up against the barbed wire cage.  
"But, could it be." she gave a startled gasp as the tree shook violently. "Real?"  
"You get real, Lex," Tim said with a grin. "It's a robot, and it won't really attack -"  
But, he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. His voice trailed off in a scream as a raptor head rammed against the caging, making the barbed wire shake menacingly. It growled deeply at them.  
It was real!  
But then, Dr. Grant laughed. It was only a robot. It receded into the foliage as the car jerked to a start again.  
Tim laughed at his sister for being so paranoid.  
"Come off it!" she said, sweat rolling down her forehead. "I thought it was real!"  
"Do you really think it would be real?" Dr. Grant said with a grin.  
"You never know with my grandfather," Lex said as she sat back and crossed her arms.  
"You're right," Dr. Grant said slowly, staring out the window of the jeep again. "You can't."  
The car continued down the path, the single track trailing beneath it. They were now in the woods, and the temperature difference was evident. It was about ten degrees cooler under the large green canopy of leaves than to be out on the helicopter landing pad.  
Lex smiled and motioned for Tim to look out the window beside her.  
He did, and spotted a caged in area with an animatronic Triceratops in it, grazing on grass. It reminded him of the first dinosaur he had ever encountered for real. It was really inspiring to see one again, even though it wasn't really alive.  
Then, as they passed the cage, the voice came onto the radio again.  
"You are now nearing the Tyrannosaurus Cage." 


	4. TRex Encounter

CHAPTER FOUR: T-Rex Encounter  
  
Dr. Grant looked around at the trees moving slowly past their jeep. He didn't want to remember anything about the T-Rex.  
"The T-Rex cage!" Tim said, sitting up in his seat to get a better view of what was ahead of them.  
"Sit down, Timmy!" Lex instructed her brother who was leaning up against the dash board to get a good front-row view.  
"Oh, can it," he said, glaring at his sister. This, in his opinion, was cool. He would see a T-Rex without actually being eaten, threatened, or crushed by it. The trees moved by at a higher speed now, as the jeep sped up. This forced Tim to sit down in his seat and put his seatbelt on along with Lex and Dr. Grant. This was going to be an awesome tour.  
"You are now instructed to please fasten your safety harnesses at this time." the voice over the radio instructed, pausing before continuing. "You will now proceed into the dark forest of Jurassic Park. Many wondrous creatures inhabit this forest, but there are equally as many terrifying beast roaming these woods."  
Tim smiled in delight. He looked at Dr. Grant, who glared back at him sternly, and Tim's smile was washed off of his face.  
"Aren't you excited?" Tim asked as Dr. Grant looked out the window at the now approaching barbed wire-and-steel fence.  
Dr. Grant grunted.  
"I have no intentions of having 'fun'." he said with a bland look on his face. "Running around with dinosaurs, dead or alive, does not entice me any longer."  
The 'any longer' part probably meant since the last time Dr. Grant had visited the park. But, Tim thought, the last time Dr. Grant had been on a dinosaur-inhabited island had been when the plane crashed with the Kirby's aboard, searching for their lost son. He had never really heard Dr. Grant speak about this. He was about to ask about it, but then decided against it. The fence was before them, though it was quite different from the one they had been next to in the original park. This fence was covered in vines and leaves. It probably wasn't stronger than the original one, because the dinosaur it was encasing didn't actually live and breathe, not to mention rip at the cable when the power went out.  
The fence was wedged between two large trees; probably the largest trees Tim had ever seen. He was reminded of when the jeep had been pushed off the cliff into an enormous tree, but these trees were huge! He marveled at them. Then, the jeep stopped.  
"Oh, here it comes," Lex said, looking out the window. Tim had had enough of her. She was taking everything too seriously. This was supposed to be a fun trip, wasn't it? He had thought so.  
"You are now parked in front of the Tyrannosaurus Cage. We call this a cage because it is so high that a roof is not needed. The Tyrannosaurus is a massive beast that lived millions of years ago. It had a unique sense of smell, but a rather poor sense of vision. Its vision was based on movement. It is a unique part of Jurassic Park."  
Lex snorted.  
"Unique? How about deadly?"  
Tim shushed her again.  
"Maybe we'll actually see this thing!" he said hopefully. "Maybe it'll be cooler than the real thing."  
Dr. Grant smiled for once.  
"For the amount of money people will be paying to get into this park, I hope it's cooler than the original. I'm looking forward to seeing how accurate this thing is." He looked out on his side, the side that had the fence on it. He remembered the first time he ever saw a T-Rex skeleton, and wished he had only seen a skeleton. He hadn't been able to handle seeing the real thing up close and personal.  
He wished Ellie was along with him. They were a team. They had been through a lot together. But, she had to be home with her kids and husband. He didn't blame her. He wished he had somebody to be home with. But the only thing he had to be home with was his bones and tools; a dig site.  
Suddenly the fence shook violently. All three of them sat bolt upright. Dr. Grant expected the fence to rip out of the tree, but this didn't happen. Instead, the whole jeep began to shake as if footsteps were shaking the ground. He spotted tree branches moving aside in the distance as if something were heading towards their jeep. He couldn't see what was coming, (the T-Rex of course), because the jeep was now shaking like mad. Tim was glad he had his seatbelt on because he would have been against the windshield.  
Then, all at once, everything stopped. The shaking, the noises, and everything stopped except for the beating of their hearts.  
"Wh-where is it?" Lex said, staring out at the fence.  
"Don't worry," Dr. Grant said with a smile. "It's all illusi-"  
But he never finished his sentence because just then a large scaly foot crashed down onto the pavement before them. He spotted the tar cracking under the foot's weight and the car shook violently.  
Lex screamed as the foot lifted back up and stomped off into the other half of the woods.  
Dr. Grant tried to comfort Lex, but Tim was laughing his head off.  
Lex stopped, shuddering, and snapped at her brother, "What is so funny about that?"  
Tim had to hold his stomach because it ached.  
"It was all just a robot, Lex!" he laughed. "See? The cracks in the pavement were pre-cut! It was great! I've never been scared so much in my entire life!"  
Lex groaned.  
"Don't say that. You've been scared worse before."  
"Not really," Tim started. "It was like my worst nightmare was happening again. I thought -" he started, but then stopped laughing. "I thought - that it was back again."  
Dr. Grant shook his head with a grin.  
"I have to admit that it was pretty funny," he said to Tim. Lex looked disgusted with him, and shoved him to the side as he laughed. "You're right, Tim." he said with a smile. "This isn't so bad with fake dinosaurs. It's like an old-fashioned amusement park."  
"Exactly," Tim smiled.  
"Well, the tour is almost done," Dr. Grant said, watching the T-Rex cage disappear behind a sea of foliage. "We'll be eating lunch with your grandfather up at the visitor center."  
"Alright!" Tim said, coaxing his sister to smile.  
"Oh, cut it out," she said, crossing her arms.  
"But, Lex," Tim said with a smile. "They'll have all the Jell-O you could want!"  
She glared at him, but a grin spread across her face.  
"Alright," she said, agreeing a little that this was somewhat fun. But, she was wrong. The fun was only beginning. 


	5. Luncheon With an Expert

CHAPTER FIVE: Luncheon With an Expert  
  
The jeep stopped in front of a large building made of what looked like bamboo sticks and organic materials, but it was probably just for show, Tim thought to himself as the car's brakes screeched loudly. The actual building was probably made up of some concrete, or something sturdy like stone to keep it from being destroyed in a storm. The car's doors opened slowly and the voice on the radio continued to talk.  
"Thank you for riding the Jurassic Park tour. Please come again. On your right you will see a large building known as the Visitor Center. Here you will find gift shops, a lavish dining hall, and entertainment. The food is prepared by some of the world's finest chefs and cooks, and served to you promptly after ordering. Please enjoy your stay and watch your step as you exit the vehicle."  
Tim hopped out of the jeep and stepped aside to let his sister and Dr. Grant get out beside him.  
Dr. Grant tilted his hat up to see the building better.  
"Well," he started, shielding his eyes from the setting sun. "They certainly spiced up the place. The last time I saw a dining hall in Jurassic Park, it reminded me of a flying saucer in disguise."  
Lex laughed.  
"I'm hungry," she said, her stomach growling silently. "Let's go eat."  
They had to walk up a bunch of stone steps leading up to the circular building, being careful to watch their step. The building was enormous! It had at least five floors and probably a hundred windows. One wall was just a pane of glass to look out of, and for people to look in. Staff walked briskly by in white uniforms, glancing out the window as they did. Lex smiled as one worker waved to her from the second floor. It was rather inviting. She actually wanted to have a fun time at the park now.  
The large door opened automatically as they neared it. Probably motion activated, Tim thought. And as the doors opened, they all smiled at what they saw and heard. They were entering a rainforest. It was magnificent! A rainforest inside, Tim thought to himself happily. He could hear birds chirping and jungle noises. It was all so new and refreshing compared to the Park's original Visitor Center where all you saw was bones strung up to the ceiling.  
Lex giggled as a monkey on a leash dashed out of a side path. A man dressed in white smiled at them.  
"Hi," he said, stopping to greet them. "You must be Dr. Grant."  
He shook Dr. Grant's hand.  
"And Tim and Lex?" he said as he shook their hands as well. He was a young man, and Tim couldn't help but notice his sister blush as he took her hand into his. He had a head of neatly combed brown hair, and looked as though he had just gotten out of college. "Welcome to the visitor center."  
"Thank-you," Lex said, hurrying to walk beside the young man.  
"Who, might I ask, are you?" Dr. Grant asked as he walked beside the man, leaving Tim to walk behind them down a path into the 'jungle' display.  
  
The man smiled, showing a row of perfectly white teeth.  
"I'm Doctor Stetson. You can call me James, if you like. I created this whole rainforest on paper. And, here it is. Before your eyes is the work of many people. It took us months to come up with a good enough design for the Visitor Center's Lobby, but we came up with it."  
"We?" Dr. Grant said, giving him a confused look.  
"Oh, yes," James said, the tiny monkey leaping onto his shoulder. "My crew and I. We run Jurassic Park. Now, anyway. We were asked by Mr. Hammond to design a new look for the park. A look that would seem inviting and stray from the original." His voice trailed off as though he were searching for the word. "Dinosaur look. I think it would frighten people. But, we don't have to worry about that. As you have seen, Dr. Grant, at your speeches; people want to come to the park. There's so much publicity towards it. It's a wonderful park, I can assure you. And quite safe."  
"I would hope so," Dr. Grant said, eyeing Lex who was giving James dreamy stares.  
"Oh, it is. The rides are certainly safe -"  
Dr. Grant cut him off.  
"It's not the rides that I'm referring to."  
Tim frowned. He felt really left out of the situation because he was trailing behind them. He hated being treated like a kid. He wasn't one any more. He could be included in conversations. He groaned as his sister asked James a question.  
James laughed.  
"Oh, I'm single."  
Tim rolled his eyes. His sister was hitting on their guide! It wasn't funny. It was stupid and wrong. The guy was probably four years older than her.  
Suddenly, he spotted something.  
It was in the fake trees. He heard a low growl as if something was being aggravated. He stopped, sure that none of his colleagues would notice if he wasn't there, and peered into the trees to see if he could spot the animal that was being bothered.  
Suddenly, he spotted something terrifying. Men in white lab coats were rolling a cage, (Tim was sure it was a cage), covered up with a white sheet through a trail in the woods. The creature in the cage was growling loudly now. The men didn't seem to care about this. Tim was wondering what in the world they could be transporting in the cage when something unexpected happened.  
The cage tilted slowly onto its side and almost fell over, causing the two men pushing it to stop and hold it up. Then, they jumped back as a large claw tore at the white sheet. The scary part about this claw was that it was covered in scaly skin and had one giant hook-like talon attached to it.  
Tim stumbled back, terrified at what he just saw. Was it real? Could they really have a Velociraptor in the park?  
A hand suddenly fell down onto his shoulder and he cried out.  
"Woah, Tim -" Dr. Grant said as he spun Tim around.  
Tim found himself breathing hard.  
"I just saw -"  
But when he turned, the men were gone as well as the cage.  
"You saw - what?" Dr. Grant asked as Tim looked into the trees.  
"I'm sure I saw it," he said silently to himself.  
"Tim! Hurry up! We're going to be late for Dinner with Grandpa!"  
Tim turned away from the trees reluctantly and followed Dr. Grant down the path towards an archway, ending the forest of trees and starting a well lit corridor with tan walls and mirrors in expensive frames hanging on them.  
"This is the hallway towards our Dining Area," James started. "Here, this room is able to seat 300 people. We've made sure to keep it low key and traditional. There's a chandelier and fancy carvings as well as some bamboo trees scattered around."  
They found themselves walking onto a large balcony, followed by some red-carpeted stairs with gold trimming. The room they saw beyond the balcony was enormous. A glass dome was situated on the center of the ceiling, allowing natural light to accompany the chandelier lighting. There was the sound of classical music and Lex smiled as she spotted a buffet of food waiting for them below.  
They descended the stairs, staring in awe (even Dr. Grant), at the lovely room.  
A large table was awaiting them, laden with every type of food they could possibly imagine. Foot-long subs; soup, every kind you could want with steam rising up from the large bowls of it; ice cream, Lex's favorite, chocolate; cookies; cakes; salads; and Jell-O, molded into a dinosaur form at the center of the long table.  
Dr. Grant grabbed a plate and began serving himself some chicken legs and roast beef. This, perhaps, wasn't so bad after all, he thought to himself. Tim grabbed a bowl and dished out some ice cream. Blackberry Pie was his favorite flavor. Lex grabbed a plate and took some salad, sure to put a mountain of croutons on top. James didn't grab anything except for a black olive which he gave to his pet monkey who ate it up in small nibbles thankfully.  
"Your monkey is so cute!" Lex said, crouching down with her plate to admire the tiny creature.  
The monkey stopped chewing its olive and snatched a crouton off of her plate, jumping back onto James' shoulder, shoving it into his mouth.  
James smiled.  
"This is Sylvester. Him and me have been partners for a while."  
He smiled as the monkey made some squeaking noises.  
"Shall we sit down?" he then suggested. They all took seats together at a round table, and began eating immediately.  
"So, what exactly do you do for the park, besides designing things?" Dr. Grant said as he swallowed some mashed potatoes with a sea of melted butter on top.  
"I'm the expert on wildlife here."  
Dr. Grant gave him a questioning look, and James smiled. "Not the Dinosaur expert." he replied to the stare. "Here at Jurassic Park, not only to our animatronic dinosaurs inhabit the island, but actual wildlife does as well. We've got hundreds of species of bird on the island now, not to mention lizards, insects, and snakes."  
Lex gulped at the mention of snakes. She hated snakes.  
"So, I hope you are all enjoying yourself, but I have duties to attend to."  
And with a quick farewell, James got up and left.  
"What a heart-throb!" Lex said as she put her fork down.  
Tim sighed. He was surprised when Dr. Grant did too.  
"Keep it to yourself, Lex," Tim said with a frown on his face.  
"Well, he is really nice," she replied. Then a smile broke out onto her face. "Do you think we'll see him again?"  
"I wouldn't doubt it," Dr. Grant said, cutting a piece of roast beef off and moving it up to his mouth.  
"I love this place now. And, you know what I heard?" she went on.  
Both Dr. Grant and Tim looked up now.  
"There's a roller coaster!"  
"You're kidding!" Tim said happily.  
"No, I'm not!" she said happily.  
"When did you hear this?" Dr. Grant asked with an interested look on his face.  
"When you two were looking at the trees on the path," she said, spearing some lettuce with her fork. "By the way," she looked up at Tim slowly. "What were you looking at in the trees?"  
Tim was about to tell her his suspicions, but then decided not to.  
"Nothing," he said, lowering his eyes to his plate.  
It would be best not to get anybody upset while we're on the trip, Tim thought to himself. The rest of their dinner was eaten in silence, and Tim almost thought he heard the growl of the creature again. 


	6. The Terror Coaster

CHAPTER SIX: The Terror Coaster  
  
The three friends left the Visitor Center well fed and happy, except for Tim who was still thinking about the caged animal he had seen. That claw.he just couldn't get it out of his mind. It was so real, and probably was real. He sighed. Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe it was just a lizard.  
Yeah, right, he thought to himself. A lizard big enough to escape a cage, almost. He shuddered. All he could think about was something going wrong on the trip. He had been annoyed when Lex had been nervous about coming back to the island, but now that he felt like that and she didn't, he realized how nerve-racking the feeling actually was. He ran his fingers through his messy brown hair and tried to shake the feeling of dread in his stomach. The tight knot stayed there until they got back into the jeeps and buckled up.  
"That was pleasant," Dr. Grant said, patting his stomach. "I haven't eaten that, well since, well, I can't even remember how long it has been."  
Lex smiled.  
"I had a great time, and you know I don't know why I was so worried to begin with. Everything's so nice here."  
Tim shot her an annoyed glance.  
"If by everything you mean James."  
Lex shot him a grin.  
"He was..." Her features relaxed and her eyes went out of focus for a minute. "Nice. Really."  
Her daydreams and fantasies of James were jerked to a halt as the cars started moving. Tim stared out his window as the Visitor Center disappeared into the trees behind them.  
The voice on the radio came on again.  
"You are now leaving the Visitor Center. The jeeps will be bringing you to one of our more popular sections, the rides section. There you will find a wide variety of rides including our famous roller coaster - one of a kind. The largest coaster, not to mention the longest, this coaster features many different kinds of experiences including an enormous amount of airtime and a wide range of g-forces. This ride is a must-ride thrill here at Jurassic Park."  
The jeeps rode on for a little while longer before they came to a sort of toll booth one would see on a highway. It was had a bamboo roof and a young boy about the age of nineteen was sitting in it.  
He looked up from his book, probably the latest Harry Potter novel, and smiled at them. He showed a row of nice white teeth and opened the window.  
"Welcome to the Amusement Center here at Jurassic Park," he said, taking a large roll of red tickets down from a shelf behind him. "Here you will find many different amusement park-like rides, including our soon-to- be famous coaster, The Tyrannosaurus. It's the longest in the world, and one of a kind. We've designed it to let you experience many different sensations while riding, including a vertical drop and three different corkscrew and loops. You should each receive five tickets, because there are five rides as of now in the park. My personal favorite is the Haunted Mansion, but you'll be the one to decide."  
The boy handed Dr. Grant the tickets through the window.  
"Thanks," Dr. Grant said as he divided the tickets out between the three of them. The jeeps passed by the toll booth and continued into the forest. Trees passed slowly as the jeep made its way along the track. "This is so cool," Tim said, his hands on the dash board. "I guess," Dr. Grant said slowly. He didn't like roller coasters and didn't like the thought of riding The Tyrannosaurus. Suddenly, a set of green tracks came out of the foliage to their right. Tim pressed his palms up against the window and watched as the car slowed to a stop beside the track. The voice on the radio came back on. "The track you see to your right is part of our world famous coaster, The Tyrannosaurus. This world class roller coaster is the longest and largest in the world. It made its world premier on June 14th. Since then, this coaster has been set atop the world's best coasters list. We will get the train to come by your vehicle momentarily." There was a moment of silence. "Well, what do you -" Tim never got a chance to finish his sentence because just then the ground began to shake. Tim felt the leather seat vibrate slightly underneath him.  
  
Then, with a roar, a seven-car train came shooting up the tracks to their right, shaking and rumbling until it finally passed by their jeep. Tim let out a breath of air that he had been holding while the train shot past them.  
The jeep began to move once again. Lex brushed her hair out of her face. "That was a rush, and I haven't even ridden on it yet."  
The jeeps rode on until all the trees ended and a large clearing with tarred roads appeared out of the forest. They were at the Amusement Center.  
It was nicer than Tim had dreamed it would be. Tiny box-like huts were set up everywhere selling things. He spotted a hut selling shaved ice, and longed to jump out and spend what little pocket money he had on it.  
"Welcome to the Amusement Center," the radio voice said. "Please remain seated until the jeep comes to a complete stop."  
With a screech of brakes, the jeeps stopped.  
Tim leaped out of the jeep as fast as he could and jumped into the air; fist raised high with a whoop.  
"Whoa, settle down there Tim!" Dr. Grant said with a chuckle. "We haven't even been on a ride yet!"  
"So?! Who cares! This place is awesome even if you don't ride anything!"  
Lex got out and smiled.  
"You have to admit," she said looking around. "This place rocks."  
She pointed to a sign directing people to different rides.  
"Would you look at some of these rides?"  
Her eyes scanned up and down the sign. Pieces of jagged wood pointed them towards different rides.  
"Check out the names! The Tyrannosaurus, that one looks cool even without the name! Oh, gross!"  
She pointed to a ride that had a painting of people on a circular tube-raft screaming as a Tyrannosaurus Rex head lunged out at them.  
"The Old Park? Is that supposed to be like a reenactment of our first...experience with Jurassic Park?"  
Dr. Grant shook his head.  
"Some people will do anything for money." He muttered to himself. He fixed his hat and turned to face one of the rides. "Well, which one should we ride first?"  
Lex smiled slightly. "The Tyrannosaurus, definitely!"  
Tim smiled too.  
"Yeah, let's go!"  
He started to make a run for the ride's entrance, but they all stopped in their tracks as they heard a snap in the trees behind The Tyrannosaurus.  
Lex let out a gasp of horror as she saw a robotic Tyrannosaurus head come up out of the trees and close it's jaws on what looked to be a person.  
She hid her face in Dr. Grant's chest, and he put a hand on her shoulder as he and Tim looked on. The sound of screams came from the direction of the robotic head, and then, after chomping on the body for a while, the head lowered back down into the trees.  
"Oh, sick -" Lex said as she almost started to cry. She had just forgotten about the original park minutes before and then she had to be reminded of it once again. It was as if they couldn't escape the past.  
"That was - disturbing," Tim said slowly, remembering the lawyer who had gotten eaten in front of them by a Tyrannosaurus.  
"It's okay, Lex," Dr. Grant reassured her. "It was fake,"  
"I don't care," Lex said softly into his chest. "I - don't think I want to go on The Tyrannosaurus now."  
"What?!" Tim said in a shocked voice.  
"I don't want to go on that ride."  
Tim shot her an annoyed glare.  
"Just because of a little robotic head, you won't go on the coolest roller coaster in the world?"  
She didn't reply, rather, she sobbed silently into Dr. Grant's chest.  
Tim shot her a fake smile, and then turned to go to the ride's entrance.  
"Well, then," he said as he started to walk towards the ride. "Dr. Grant and I will go on it without you, then."  
"I don't think I want to go on it either," Dr. Grant said, causing Tim to screech to a halt.  
"What?" he said as he spun around to face them.  
"You heard me. I don't want to leave Lex alone here."  
"But there's nobody else here!"  
Dr. Grant nodded.  
"Exactly." He replied. "I'll sit here on this bench with her while you go on the ride."  
Tim made an exasperated sound and turned to go off toward the ride. He stomped off angrily.  
"Fine," he called over his shoulder. "I'll have fun by myself!"  
He crossed over a rope bridge, not caring how dangerous it looked, and began weaving in and out of the line towards the ride. He groaned. He would be all alone on a scary roller coaster. Not that he was complaining or anything. But, he hated being by himself on rides. What fun was it if he was the only person on the world's greatest roller coaster?  
Finally, he made it to the station.  
Tim ripped off one of the red tickets and shoved it into the ticket- collecting machine angrily.  
The cars were lined up in a row, and Tim made sure to go to the very back of the train. He sat angrily in the back seat and gave a shocked cry as the safety harnesses lowered automatically. He grasped it with both hands, his knuckles white.  
"Welcome to The Tyrannosaurus." A voice said out of a loudspeaker built into the sides of the car. "Please remain seated while the ride is in motion. The safety harnesses are automatic, and will remain locked until the ride returns to the station. In the event of an emergency, please remain seated. The harnesses will remain locked and will only unlock when safety personnel get to the train. Have a good ride, and enjoy the rest of your day here at Jurassic Park."  
The ride jerked into motion and started off by going down a steep hill. Tim would have been laughing if he had someone to laugh with. He sat, holding the harness, frowning.  
The train then began a long ascend to the top of the first and steepest hill. He would have enjoyed this as well if he had someone to be nervous with.  
Then, the train came over the top and began to drop down the vertical hill, down straight into a tunnel leading under ground.  
Tim smiled slightly as he was enveloped in darkness. He heard roars from all around him as the train sped down the track. Okay, he thought. This is getting kind of fun.  
He saw a blast of light, and he was out of the tunnel, and saw that the car was careening down the track. He laughed as a Tyrannosaurus head lurched out at him as he rushed past.  
This wasn't so bad.  
But then, things got creepy.  
The car suddenly screeched to a halt and Tim felt himself pushed against the safety harness. The brakes screeched in his ears and he looked around as the cars sat dead on the track. Was this some part of the ride?  
A voice coming from the loudspeaker answered his thoughts.  
"We are experiencing some technical difficulties at this time. Please remain seated while we sort this out. You may be seated for 15 minutes, so please do not attempt to leave the vehicle. We will be sending personnel to allow you off the ride momentarily."  
Tim groaned.  
Why did the world hate him? Was this because he wasn't sympathetic towards his sister?  
He hit his fists against the safety harness.  
He would have been happy to be sitting on a broken down roller coaster if he knew what was happening to Lex and Dr. Grant at that moment. 


	7. Watched

CHAPTER SEVEN: Watched  
  
Lex sobbed into Dr. Grant's shoulder some more. The image of a person being eaten up by a dinosaur again, even though it was a robot eating another robot, still did hurt her. How could her grandpa put something in the park that would hurt her? Not physically, but emotionally. It was as if it wasn't even him who had built the attractions. It was like someone else built them. Lex knew that her grandfather wouldn't make a ride that would scare her too much.  
"It's okay, Lex," Dr. Grant said with a smile. "I don't think that it was meant to scare you in particular. People today want to be scared sometimes when they go to a theme park. That's all."  
"It's still wrong!" Lex said angrily. "How could grandpa do this to the park? I thought he was through with dinosaurs eating people!"  
"He wasn't for them eating people in the first place, Lex," Dr. Grant tried to reassure her.  
But, just as he was about to continue, something leaped out of the bushes beside the bench they were sitting on.  
Lex screamed, and Dr. Grant was a little startled, but then he laughed.  
James' pet monkey had leaped out of the bushes and began scurrying around before the two of them.  
Lex cheered up a little and then bent over to see the tiny monkey. The monkey, no larger than a stuffed animal, jumped up onto the bench and sat beside Lex while she stroked a finger along it's furry head.  
"Hey, I recognize you." She said as it purred a little and then opened its mouth revealing a few pointy teeth. "You belong to James, don't you?"  
Dr. Grant had been smiling, but then his face turned serious.  
"Yeah, he does. But, the question is, where's James? I don't think he would let his pet run around without him?"  
Lex shook her head, pulling her blonde curls out of her face.  
"I hope he didn't lose the monkey, and that's why he's not with it. I hope he's not worried about it. But, then again - what can happen to it when there's no actual predators on the island? Besides cars?"  
Dr. Grant grunted as he lifted the monkey up into his hand and patted it slowly.  
"Where's your master?" Dr, Grant said slowly as he looked out into the woods behind the bench.  
  
Tim sat in the seat of the roller coaster and groaned. How stupid was this? His first day in the park and the ride broke down! What a fun day.  
He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, trying to block out the headache that was forming in his brain. So much was happening. First there was the fact that his grandfather hadn't shown up for lunch like he had promised he would. Then there was the creepy claw that came out of the cage being dragged along in the woods. That had sent chills down Tim's spine. He shivered as he thought of it. Was it real? He shook his head. Of course it was real. But, what animal did it belong to? That was what he wanted to know.  
He had seen a Velociraptor talon before. It was curved and about six inches long. It was creepy. It was an almost uncanny fit to the talon he had seen in the fake woods in the visitor center. He didn't want to think about it, and tried to shake the thoughts about it from his head.  
This trip was turning out to be creepier than it was cool. How long had he been sitting in the stalled train on the coolest coaster in the park? An hour? No, he thought. It felt to be at least two hours. He sighed. Where the heck was a park manager or someone to let him out of the ride when he needed one? He had had enough of sitting up in a very hot seat with his shirt sticking to the back of it. The sun was now blaring down on his section of the train. The sun had shifted since the ride had first stalled.  
Then, it came to him. He took his hands and wrapped his fingers around the safety harness holding him into the ride. Holding it tightly, (so that his knuckles turned white) he began to push it up. Maybe it would go up. Maybe he could get out of the ride and find his way back to Dr. Grant and his sister. In his heart he wanted to tell her that he was sorry for not understanding how much the simulation had hurt her. The two hours, (it seemed like two hours to Tim) of sitting in the ride gave him a chance to think.  
He gritted his teeth as he pushed upward. Slowly the harness began to lift upwards. He smiled as the harness slowly went higher and higher until he could slowly squeeze his body out of the seat and onto the front of the car.  
He didn't give the warnings of stay in the car a second thought as he slowly looked downwards to the ground. It was ten feet away. That was pretty high up, and he'd hate to fall from the track. So, he began to climb over the cars one by one until he was sitting in the first car of the train.  
He needed to get down from the tracks. He looked ahead and saw that the track dipped downwards towards the ground until it touched the grass below. If he could get onto the track and climb down, he could get off the tracks and find his way back to the station. No problem.  
He began to climb down the track, and found it easy to do because the metal design was shaped like a ladder with rungs to hold onto. He was about halfway there.  
He was doing great he thought to himself. He was going to get down and get back to the station. Then, he would apologize to his sister and then he'd have a good rest-of-the-day.  
But, he was startled out of his thoughts when the track he was climbing down shook menacingly. The metal vibrated, shooting a tickling sensation up his fingers into the palms of his hands.  
His body slipped forward and he landed against the track as he lost his grip on the track. Before doing anything else, he grabbed the edge of the track to support him and began climbing down again. He had to get off the track.  
But before he got an inch closer to the ground he heard the voice of the ride operator coming from the speakers inside the train of cars.  
"We have solved the problem. Please remain seated while the cars resume motion.""  
And with that the track shook one last time, making Tim cry out. Then, the vibrating was replaced with a rumble.  
Tim looked up to spot the train slowly inching its way down the track. It was on the straight tails, so he still had time to get off the track before it sped up after the hill.  
But just moments after this thought popped into his head, the cars lunged forward, speeding down the tracks towards him. They must have been equipped with boosting mechanisms. Tim felt fear freeze him in place as he watched the cars race towards him.  
Without a second thought, he rolled over the side of the track and plummeted to the grassy ground below.  
He felt his breath leave his lungs as he fell to the earth with the cars rumbling over the track above. It seemed like forever until he finally hit the soft ground with a thud.  
  
"You know, I feel bad for not going on the ride with Tim." Lex said as she held the tiny monkey in her hands while she stared down at it, she didn't notice how Dr. Grant was looking out into the woods behind the bench. "After all, I did say I would. I mean, how would I feel if I were him?"  
Dr. Grant remained silent. He was positive there was something out in the woods watching them. It was as if he could feel its eyes on him.  
He put a hand up to silence Lex, keeping his eyes on the woods.  
"Ssh, Lex," he started. "I think we're being watched."  
Lex let the tiny monkey leap to the ground and turned around to see the dark woods behind her.  
"Do you see something?" she asked quietly.  
"No, but I can sense it. I've felt it before. Like when I was on the island with Eric."  
Lex looked over at him.  
"Isn't that the boy you rescued?"  
"Yes, he was," Dr. Grant said in a soft tone. After looking at the woods a bit longer, he turned around in his seat. "I think we should go find Tim."  
They both got up, Lex staring at the ground.  
"Oh no!" she said glumly. "The monkey ran off!"  
Dr. Grant took her by the arm and began leading her towards the roller coaster's entrance.  
"I'm sure it will be fine, Lex." he said as they walked through the empty line to the ride's station.  
"I hope it's all right," Lex said as they stood, waiting for the roller coaster to return to the station.  
  
The tiny monkey darted through the trees, occasionally leaping over a fallen log or stump. It had to be quick. Its master was, after all, waiting.  
Finally it found the man it was looking for. Standing in the shadows stood James. He wore dark clothing to camouflage himself into the trees.  
He knelt to the ground and let the monkey crawl up his arm to his shoulder where it perched. He looked up at it with a grin on his face.  
"That's a good boy," he said as he stroked the monkey's furry head. "Did you get some valuable information for Daddy?"  
And with that, James set off towards the Visitor Center. 


	8. Missing

CHAPTER EIGHT: Missing  
  
Tim awoke to the sounds of birds chirping deep in the forest surrounding him. His eyes flickered open to see the soft reds and oranges of the sunset filtering through the trees. It didn't take long for him to notice the pain in his shoulder and his hand shot up to it, trying to rub away the sharp pricks that throbbed every so often.  
Sitting up, he brushed grass out of his hair and dirt off of his clothes. It took a minute for him to remember what had happened, but it soon came back to him.  
Curiously, he looked up to see the track of the coaster sloping downwards towards him. How far had he fallen?  
Judging by the pain, a long way. It ached when he sat up and he didn't enjoy the way his back muscles stretched awkwardly. At least the aches and pains were all that he was feeling. There didn't feel like there were any broken bones. That, in itself, was a good thing.  
Tim was going to look down at his watch to see what time it was, but stopped when he realized he had landed on it and the crystal cover was cracked, bending inward to stop the tiny hands from moving.  
"Oh man..." he whined to himself as he took off the watch and placed it in his pocket. He had loved that watch. His mother had given it to him.  
Despite the disappointed feeling deep in his gut, Tim attempted to brush it all away and figure out what he was going to do.  
Where in the world was he?  
The ride looked like it wound through the forest, and if that were true, he could be anywhere in the park. He did suppose he could follow the tracks back to the station, but they wove in and out of each other. It would get a little confusing, but he was sure he could manage.  
Starting out, he discovered a slight limp in his step. He must have been out of it for a while. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had been a few hours. But why hadn't Dr. Grant and more importantly, Lex searched for him?  
This hurt him a little. His own sister hadn't searched for him?  
But then again, maybe it took a while to get together a search party or something. The park was fairly new and maybe staff was a little disorganized.  
It was rapidly getting darker and Tim found that it was harder to see in front of him. It was a full moon, but the thick forest foliage above him blocked it, though there was the occasional shaft of blue light filtering through the leaves.  
After walking for a few minutes, Tim was startled as the area was flooded with light. Apparently there were floodlights connected to the track and they all turned on, flashing once as they heated up. Tim, though he had been startled, was thankful for the light.  
He'd be back at the station in no time at all...  
Hopefully.  
  
"Dr. Grant?" Lex started as she saw him return from the information booth.  
Dr. Grant shook his head solemnly.  
"They haven't seen him, Lex." He muttered as he fixed his hat, looking up at the sky. It was getting pretty dark and he didn't like being outside in the dark very much.  
"What are we going to do?" she asked as she folded her arms beneath her chest and shivered.  
Dr. Grant put a hand on her shoulder and smiled, trying to look reassuring.  
"I'm sure he's fine, Lex. Maybe he just went off to the hotel?"  
Lex tried to act optimistic.  
"You're probably right. I mean, we weren't really paying attention to the ride exit. He could have slipped by us..."  
Dr. Grant smiled, and he was glad to see it rubbed off on her a little.  
"Tim's not a little kid anymore, Lex."  
Lex sighed.  
"I know. It's so hard to picture him as a mature young adult instead of my little helpless brother."  
They both started off towards the Jeep.  
"You know, Lex, I've had more fun at an amusement park than I've had in years being with you."  
Lex chuckled. At second glance, Dr. Grant did look pretty handsome in the moonlight. She jumped before he could spot her staring as spotlights all along the path lit up, blasting them with light.  
"You jumped." Dr. Grant said with a smile, amused.  
When they finally got back into the Jeep, they buckled up and the Jeep started off automatically towards the Visitor Center.  
It was unusually quiet for a few minutes, and then Dr. Grant started.  
"Does this thing have a radio, or what?"  
He leaned towards the front of the vehicle and fiddled with a bunch of dials until some music started. Sitting back with a smug grin on his face, he pulled his hat over his eyes and leaned back, satisfied with the station.  
Lex hesitated for a moment, then leaned against his shoulder, resting her head on his arm. If Dr. Grant had noticed, he didn't mind. They both settled in, enjoying the trip back to the Visitor Center.  
  
James pulled open the door to the Visitor Center and quietly slipped in.  
Officially, he wasn't supposed to be out late, but there were a few...errands he had to run: One being picking up his monkey from his little errand.  
"You're too good, Sylvester." He said to the monkey on his shoulder. Sylvester squeaked his approval of the complement.  
They walked through the forest area of the Center, then James veered off the path to a hidden doorway covered in vines and leaves. He extracted a key card from his coat and slid it through a lock hidden amongst the brush and smiled as a beep sounded and the door slid open.  
In a harsh contrast to the simulated forest was a plain white hallway with square doors and lights.  
He counted off the number of doors to his right until he got to the fifth door and opened it, stepping briskly inside.  
Technically, this wasn't his office, but that was where he spent most of his time...spying. Well, spying didn't exactly have the right ring with him. He liked to call it observing. After all, there were cameras all around the park for a reason.  
He clicked a few buttons until the screen showed him the Jeep the three visitors were using. It took him a minute to notice that the third, the boy wasn't there.  
"That's odd?" he started. This – after all – wasn't part of his plan. "Where's the kid?"  
He clicked a bunch of buttons that flashed a grid of all the cameras in the park. It took him a few minutes, but then he found the boy, dirty and limping through the Tyrannosaurus coaster area.  
"What's he doing off the ride? Visitors aren't allowed off the ride in the fenced-off area!"  
But then he noticed the flashing red letters on the screen and he enlarged them to read, RIDE MALFUNCTION: REQUIRES MAINTANENCE.  
"Well, well, well..." James muttered as Sylvester leaped off his shoulder and onto a chair in the corner. "We'll have to send somebody –"  
But then he spotted something he didn't like at all.  
On the next screen he spotted a group of men in white lab coats carrying a large box through the woods. If the boy kept on walking, he'd hit them soon. And they couldn't have that. He'd ruin everything...  
"Come on, Sylvester." James started as he clicked off the screen. "We've got some hunting to do." 


	9. Escape

CHAPTER NINE: Escape 

Tim followed the fence surrounding the roller coaster for a while. It was far too high to climb and with his twisted ankle, Tim didn't think he was up to playing Tarzan today.

"Ouch!"

While he was inside the Jeep he hadn't noticed the mosquitoes. They seemed to be everywhere now that the lights were turned on. Quickly, he swatted at his leg.

Looking down at his palm he saw the squashed mosquito and felt his stomach turn. They were huge! The sky – though dark – was filled with black dots now.

Crossing his arms, Tim lowered his gaze to the ground. Hopefully he'd get out of the ride area soon and back to the warmth of his hotel room.

But suddenly he heard something. The faint sound of voices was coming from beyond the chain-link fence he was following. Stepping behind a support pole, Tim hid from the path beyond the fence, listening to the voices.

"Ow! Brooks! Will you hold onto that feakin' handle?!"

A second voice, timid, apologized.

"Sorry, Tucker. This damn thing is heavy! What the hell's in it?"

"None of your damn business. They told me it was top secret, so I'm leaving it at that. I'm not one to ask questions."

Tim heard an enormous sniff followed by a loud snort.

"Damn – smells like something died in there!"

This was followed by the sound of shuffling feet.

"Where the hell are we moving this...thing anyway?"

"Stetson told me to move it to the Visitor Center basement. That's where the headquarters are."

Tim found himself caught in realization. Stetson? Wasn't that James' last name? And what was he moving to the basement of the Visitor Center?

Hearing the voices fading off into the distance, he quickly came out of hiding and moved from beam to beam, hoping to hear more. The track followed along the path for a ways, so he'd be able to follow the two men and get to the ride exit at the same time.

Staying far enough out of the light so as not to be seen, Tim listened on.

"Oh – thank God we're almost there! Tell me again what we're getting out of this?"

The heavier man gave an annoyed sigh.

"Stetson told me personally we'd get a pretty large raise when this is released for the public to see. I'm guessin' it's some kind of animal or somethin'."

"Still smells really rank! Should've given us some nose plugs or something!"

Tim blinked as he took in this new information. An animal? Maybe he was right. Maybe he wasn't seeing things in the Visitor Center earlier that day...

He was just about to jump to the next support beam when he heard a loud crack from behind him. It was the unmistakable crisp sound of a twig being snapped. It echoed into the woods and the two men on the path stopped.

"Tucker – you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That snap –"

"Oh quit being a pansy and let's get movin'! I don't like it out here..." There was a silence before Tucker urged them on. "Well – get going! You're in the front after all!"

The two of them turned down a side path and disappeared into the woods. Tim was then left alone...

Or he though he was alone.

Crouching low to the ground, he listened as another crack was heard followed by a rustle of leaves.

Tim's heard was racing a mile a minute as he looked out into the woods surrounding the roller coaster. What was making all that noise? Was it –

But Tim didn't want to stick around to find out. Sprinting towards the fence, he jumped as high as he could. The chain links bit into his fingers as he clung to them, climbing slowly up and up until he was almost straddling the top.

Then, mustering all his courage he swung both legs over and jumped to the ground.

An enormous pain erupted up Tim's leg as he collapsed to the ground. It felt as though a fire had started at his ankle and ran up to his knee. His hands shot to it, massaging the kneecap. Could he walk on it any more?

But then two headlights came towards him from down one of the paths, slowly getting brighter and brighter as they got closer. When it stopped before him, Tim read the words _MAINTENANCE VEHICLE _splashed across the side.

The drivers' door opened and a man stepped out. He looked shocked as he rushed to help Tim.

"Holy – what happened?"

Tim groaned as the man grabbed him by the arm and helped him to his feet. Then the man recognized him and gave him a stern stare.

"We were looking for you. How'd you get off the ride?"

Tim looked up at him guiltily.

Slowly the man lowered him into the passenger side of the jeep and got in himself.

"We're getting you to the Visitor Center right away."

"Good." Tim said as he fastened his seat belt. That was where he wanted to go anyway.

Dr. Grant waited in the lobby at the Visitor Center, pacing slowly back and forth as he watched the woman at the Service Desk listen to a staff member on the phone. Lex was dozing on a comfy chair in the middle of the Lobby. They'd been waiting there for almost twenty minutes.

Tim had still not showed up anywhere. Dr. Grant had the hotel room phoned twice. No answer either time. The ride had since been repaired and Tim had not appeared there either. Dr. Grant was getting a bit anxious.

"Yes," the woman at the desk muttered politely into the phone. "Yes, a boy with brown hair. He was last seen at the T-rex coaster. Yes. Yes." She looked up at Dr. Grant, then avoided his eyes. "You haven't seen him? Alright. Oh no – that's okay. Thanks Jones. Bye."

Dr. Grant walked over to the desk and rested his knuckles on the shiny black finish as he looked the woman in the eye.

"So – what's the verdict?"

The woman shook her head.

"They haven't seen him. I'm sorry, sir."

Dr. Grant sighed as he hung his head. This had not been on his agenda for the weekend. Lex was already nervous enough.

"Alright. I'll ask again later."

The woman continued to apologize as he walked back over to Lex.

"The park just opened. There's lots of things going wrong. I'm sure he just decided to go on a few rides or something. I wouldn't be too alarmed."

Dr. Grant nodded as he took a seat beside Lex. She was sound asleep, hair in her face. As quietly as he could, he brushed the hair out of her face.

This tiny act caused Lex to awake, her eyes flickering open as she yawned.

"Aaah – oh, Dr. Grant. I must have dozed off."

Dr. grant smiled as he put an arm around her. "It's okay. It's been a long day."

"Did they find Tim?"

Dr. Grant stopped for a moment, almost telling her no, but his features softened.

"Yeah...they did. He's on his way to the station right now."

"Oh good," Lex said, yawning once more. "Are we heading back? I'm pretty tired."

Dr. Grant helped her up.

"We all are. Come on. I'm sure things'll be better in the morning."


End file.
